Also known as pulmonary hyperinflation, overinflation of the lungs means you’re limited in the amount of new air you can take in. This leads to a reduced amount of oxygen circulating in the body. Aside from breathing problems, hyperinflated lungs can sometimes lead to heart failure as well.
This article looks at the symptoms and causes of this serious lung condition as well as how pulmonary hyperinflation is diagnosed and treated.
Symptoms
It can often be hard to distinguish symptoms of pulmonary hyperinflation from those of the underlying condition that caused it.
If you have hyperinflated lungs, you may experience:
Difficulty inhalingStruggling to breathShortness of breathFatigueLow energy
Exercise intolerance (the reduced ability to exercise) is common with lung hyperinflation. You may feel exhausted and short of breath even with normal activity. In the early stages, extreme exercise intolerance may be the very first sign of pulmonary hyperinflation.
Complications
One of the biggest concerns about lung hyperinflation is that can affect the function of the heart. With hyperinflation, the increased pressure within the chest cavity (thorax) can cause changes to the left ventricle of the heart over time,
These changes can reduce the ventricle’s ability to pump blood out of the heart, leading to heart failure.
Causes
The major cause of hyperinflated lungs is COPD, a lung disease characterized by three conditions:
Emphysema: The irreversible enlargement and destruction of the air sacs of the lungs, called alveoli Chronic bronchitis: The narrowing and clogging of the two main airways of the lungs, called the bronchi, due to long-standing inflammation
Other causes include:
Asthma Bronchiectasis Bronchiolitis Cystic fibrosis
Diagnosis
The diagnosis of pulmonary hyperinflation typically involves a physical exam, a review of your medical history, and imaging tests.
As part of the physical exam, the doctor will listen for strange breath sounds with a stethoscope, including those indicating valve regurgitation or a heart murmur. A person with hyperinflated lungs may also have a “barrel chest” in which the chest appears inflated all the time.
Lung hyperinflation can be detected with imaging tests, including:
Chest X-rays, which provide detailed images of the lungs, heart, and airways Computed tomography (CT) scan, which composites multiple X-ray images to create three-dimensional “slices” of the chest cavity Echocardiogram, use to check for problems with the heart
Your doctor may perform pulmonary function tests (PFTs), a series of non-invasive tests that show how well your lungs are working. PFTs measure lung volume, lung capacity, rates of airflow, and the exchange of gases.
Because of the non-specificity of symptoms, pulmonary hyperinflation can be difficult to diagnose and typically requires a pulmonologist who specializes in diseases of the lungs.
Treatment
There are several treatments used in the treatment of lung hyperinflation, some of which are more invasive than others. These include:
Bronchodilators: Medications that help expand the bronchi Breathing exercises: Including purse-lipped breathing to help expand the airways Oxygen therapy: To restore blood oxygen to healthy, normal levels Lung-volume reduction surgery: A type of surgery used to alleviate the compression of the lungs and heart when other options fail
Summary
Pulmonary hyperinflation is a condition associated with COPD and other lung diseases which causes them to overinflate. This can lead to shortness of breath, fatigue, difficulty inhaling, and exercise intolerance. Asthma, cystic fibrosis, and bronchiectasis are other possible causes.
Pulmonary hyperinflation can diagnose with a physical exam, imaging tests, and pulmonary function tests (PFTs). Depending on its severity, pulmonary hyperinflation can be treated with bronchodilators, breathing exercises, oxygen therapy, or lung-volume reduction surgery.
A Word From Verywell
It can be distressing to be diagnosed with lung hyperinflation, especially if you are already living with COPD. But, there are things you can do help manage your symptoms and reduce your risk of complications.
This includes quitting cigarettes, avoiding secondhand smoke and airborne pollutants, and taking your COPD medications as prescribed.
